Are people aware that Thameslink propose to withdraw all of their peak morning trains from Sydenham Hill and West Dulwich direct to Blackfriars and on to St Pancras from May 2018? This proposal is carefully hidden in their timetable consultation: http://www.thameslinkrailway.com/your-journey/timetable-consultation. You have to download the supplemental route map document called "Kent Thameslink" and see the tiny note on the second diagram. Its not mentioned that I can see in the main consultation document that all about imprioved services for everywhere else.

The proposal is hidden in the attached file. There is a survey available to complete in relation to this proposal and please will as many people as possible send their views. I have two further observations: 1. The drop down questionnaire at q5 only allows users to say that they use the route "a couple of times a week" I am a daily commuter and cannot tell them this. Is this so that they can say "we had objections from people who only use the route a couple of times a week"? 2. There are numerous specific questions about other route changes but no specific questions about the withdrawl of these peak hour services.

I am also going to contact my MP about this and would ask that you do the same if you are equally alarmed about the prospect of these services being withdrawn. The only other option is to change at Herne Hill and in doing this it is often impossible to board an onwards train to Blackfriars.

I have just completed the survey. There is no specific question about West Dulwich so I did what my neighbour suggested and put my comments at the very end (box 87). This was the email my neighbour sent to alert me and others in our road:

First go to http://www.thameslinkrailway.com/your-journey/timetable-consultation
Then click on Kent Thameslink – the map on page 2 says that there will be no service between Beckenham Junction and Loughborough Junction.
If you go to the station by station comparison, it says that there will be one more train from Herne Hill to Blackfriars in the morning rush hour (and none from West Dulwich). Bear in mind that Crossrail will be opening in 2018 so there must be a significant possibility that more people will board the additional Herne Hill trains to travel to Farringdon. Apparently there has been 94% growth in passenger numbers to Blackfriars from the south since 2000 and the Wimbledon loop via Herne Hill has the most demand apparently. Then guestimate your prospect of getting on at Herne Hill.
If you can bear it, read the consultation document and then complete the survey. The questions in the consultation survey are mostly addressed to the positive changes being proposed eg “Do you support the retention of x services?” I put my comments in the last “any other comments” box (box 87), so you could go straight to that. If someone does find a question “Do you support the abandonment of Thameslink services from West Dulwich?” please do let me know. I might easily have missed it.
The consultation also covers proposed changes to services through Gipsy Hill.

This is worrying - I usually cycle to work these days but when required it's a very useful option to be able to get a direct train from West Dulwich to Blackfriars.
Thanks for link and advice - for what it's worth I have responded now - box 87 comment:
I am extremely worried at the proposed removal of direct services from west Dulwich to Blackfriars - they are already minimal but provide an important service... this is easily verified by observation of the platform and trains on any morning - and at Herne Hill which already struggles with numbers of passengers waiting/changing trains! Please review and reconsider - this may seem a minor change but it will have major repercussions.

I was actually on here looking for info about the reduced services running at the moment as my son is suffering alterations, cancellations and delays on his commute to school... anyone know what's going on?

Thanks. I have also responded to the consultation. Question 87 seems most appropriate. Have also emailed Helen Hayes MP (helen.hayes.mp@parliament.uk). Please respond to the consultation if you can - just scroll down all the way to Q87.

The South Eastern Rail Franchise Prospectus was published this week by the Department for Transport and it is available on their website. It is aimed at providing initial information to potential bidders for the Southeastern rail franchise when it is next put out to tender.

On page 15 of the prospectus there is a network map identifying some but not all of the stations due to limitations of size on the page. Sydenham Hill and Kent House are highlighted with the commentary: "Existing Thameslink served station with Thameslink services wholly replaced by South Eastern services from 2018". It is a fair assumption that the same comment applies to West Dulwich.

It appears that the GTR consultation on changes to train services, including the complete removal of the peak hours Thameslink services to Blackfriars and beyond, was therefore a complete sham. The decision has been taken before the results of the consultation have been announced. GTR's website confirms that the consultation has closed http://www.thameslinkrailway.com/your-journey/timetable-consultation but there is no mention of the results.

All of us who responded to the consultation have been treated like idiots as the matter has effectively been decided before the results of the so called consultation could be considered.

Apologies, thought I wouldn't start a new thread for this, I need to pick up [in a car] someone with fairly limited mobility [age related rather than a disability] who's getting off their train at West Dulwich later in the week [weekday evening], I don't suppose anyone can recommend a nearby street where I could wait in my car?

If they have limited mobility, they'd be better off using Herne Hill station as it has a lift - you can wait outside the shops there I think....

TFP Wrote:
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> Apologies, thought I wouldn't start a new thread
> for this, I need to pick up someone with fairly
> limited mobility who's getting off their train at
> West Dulwich later in the week , I don't suppose
> anyone can recommend a nearby street where I could
> wait in my car?
>
> Thanks v much in advance

I have just posted about this in a new post called 'Urgent trains deadline'. Look there to see more details but the main point is that consultation about the future of the South Eastern rail franchise after December 2018 (when the current franchise ends) started in March. The deadline for comments is 23 May 2017. The consultation paper and ways to respond are at https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/future-of-south-eastern-rail-services. Please do respond in an effort to preserve the West Dulwich to Blackfriars trains